Mocktail - A blue tie affair 2009

Despite the UofU bowl game and the huge snow storm, our party was a success!  I can't imagine the outcome if the circumstances would have been different... we may have had to turn people away.  We plan each year in July, never knowing what life will be like over the break and this year it just happened to be one of the biggest football games ever - go figure!

Each year our preparations and set up get easier and more efficient, we make lists of improvements and a list of successes.  This year ran as smoothly as I could have imagined.  The set up was done early enough we could get all dolled up before the party started (1st time in 3 years!).  Dance lessons are taught by Debbie and Christian (a ballroom couple friend of mine) from 6:30-7:30pm.  They teach the Waltz, the Fox Trot, and Swing to anyone who'd like to learn.  We had several couples arrive early for lessons and we saw them try their new steps throughout the party.

 bar (mocktails:  Yellow Bird, Shirley Temple, Lime Ricky, Pina Paradiso, Lime Cooler, and our newest Not Quite Rum Punch - all non-alcoholic) opened at 7:30pm.  Our three bartenders are fun and great drink makers.  The night was full of dancing and socializing.  The dance floor was packed and the tables were over crowded with chatting folks.  We had to pull out more chairs and make space for the movers and the shakers. 

I DJed the dance with my ipod, computer speakers, and a microphone (many people asked me where my sound system was, sweet!  It's in the kitchen, FYI, then they asked where the kitchen was - another success).  There was a mix of music - big band, hip hop, country, swing, ect.  We try to make it fun for people of all shapes and sizes...and ages :)

Because it is held in a public facility we have to end at 10pm.  So we had a last call for hors d'oeuvres and for drinks at the bar, then ended the fantastic fun!  Clean up was a quick hour (quite an achievement from previous parties).  We hope that it continues to grow and more people are able to experience the fun of Mocktail 2010!